Duck hunter&#39;s crutch



Nov. 7, 1961 MOQRE 3,007,581

DUCK HUNTERS CRUTCH Filed Nov. 15, 1959 I I Benjamin E Moore 1N VEN TOR.

' United States The present invention relates to certain new and usefulimprovements in novel multipurpose extensible and contractible staffexpressly, but not necessarily, designed and adapted for use by huntersparticularly in that it lends itself for use as a walking stick, astaff, a so-called emer gency crutch, and, what is most important, as agun holder.

As will be hereinafter more clearly evident the device is unique as awalking stick for the reason that it is longitudinally extensible andretractible and therefore may be adjusted-to be used by a hunter forsupport when Walking throughfflooded areas and trudging over rough anduncertain terrain. Q j

In addition and as briefly touched upon the device is v astaifsusceptible of being satisfactorily used by the hunter 'tomaintain' hisbalance while wading through swamps, wet matted twigs and similarlycovered areas, for feeling his way along in water for submerged logs,

.brush or deep holes that would normaly cause the hunter to stumble orperhaps step in an unexpected depression above his boots. In the sensethat the inventionis a crutch it has the necessary mechanical expedientsand arrangement thereof capable of being reliably used just in case thehunter might turn and sprain an ankle or twist a knee or limb out ofplace. Y Y

As is perhaps already evident from what has been stated above theessence of the invention may be said to reside in the use of the' device'as a stake or rack and 1 gun holder. The construction is such that theinvention may be used by the hunter to relieve himself of the hecessi tyof holding his gun in his hands during the time when the prey (doves,duck, etc.) are not on the move,

that is, not flying." To this end the cooperating components may beproperly adjusted to hold the gun in proper position so as to require aminimum of effort to pick it up and make a quick shot.

Briefly summarized, the invention comprises an elongated barrel orcylinder and a cooperating rod or leg which is telescopically mountedtherein. The two parts are adjustably joined by way of a suitable chuck.A specially designed head on the upper end of the barrel or cylinder hasseveral purposes to be revealed. A bracket is mounted on the medianportion of the barrel and this also serves a number of purposes to bedescribed.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying illustrativedrawing. In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designatelike parts throughout the views:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a multipurpose hunters utility stalfor crutch constructed in accordance with the principles of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a similar view with the gun omitted and with the legcontracted into the cylinder or barrel.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged detail sections on the lines 3-3 and 44,respectively of FIG. 1.

In the drawing the elongated barrel or cylinder is denoted by thenumeral 6 and this is of suitable crosssection and length. Inexperimental models this part has been of aluminum tubing and may besome three feet, more or less in length. A length of aluminum tubing isalso employed to provide the extensible and retractible rod or leg 8.Here again this part may be about three and one-half feet in length. Inany event the lower end thereof is suitably pointed as at 10 so that itmay be forced into the ground or bed of the stream or other body ofwater in an obvious manner. The upper end portion 12 as shown in FIG. 3is telescopically fitted in the bore 14 of the barrel 6 and the lowerend of the barrel is provided with screw-threaded longitudinally slitfingers 16 defining grips and serving to accommodate the threadedportion of the attachable and detachable clamping and assembling nut 18.Thesecomponents together provide a satisfactory chuck which permits theleg to be extended or retracted or adjusted and held in any intermediatestage or position. I I

There is a novel head 20 mounted on the upper end and this head is inthe nature of a short piece or bar of aluminum having a socket thereinand defining what may be described as a cap 22 which is capped over theend of portion 24 with the body or arm portion 26 projecting at rightangles and gradually tapered and then formed into a return bend 28providing a hook-like seat for the barrel 30 of the shot gun 32. Thebutt34' of the gun is adapted to rest atop theedge of a foot 36 having atoe 38 at the outerend thereof. The foot is interposed between thespaced parallel terminal end portions 40 of a splitclamping band or"ring 42. Thisband embraces the barrel and the parts are assembled andheld together by a bolt 44 and wing nut 46. 'The clamp may be alsodescribed as'a bracket and is rotatable and slidable and may be movedtoward and from the head. The cap portion of the head is removably heldin place by setscrew 48. It follows that the hooked head member 26 maybe located above the foot and the foot may be extended 'to assume ahorizontal gun butt' supporting position.

' It will be evident that by loosening he knurled lock or sleeve nut 18,pulling out the telescoping tube or leg section 3 the desired length ofthe over-all device may be attained and then by tightening the chuck,the two parts provide what may be described as a staff to be .used whileWading through water. Forthe crutch all that; is necessary, isQto adjust'the height to'fit under the arm, in the .same manner as the stair'. Inthis instance the hooked head member 26 provides an armpit saddleresembling the saddle on an ordinary crutch and the bracket attachedfoot 36 may be used as a hand piece or grip. Upon arriving at the duckblind or stand or other position for hunting the user lengthens thestaff to the desired length. In practice the stafi could be made somesix and one-half feet or seven feet in length. It may be telescoped intohalf this length if desired. The chuck and accompanying sleeve 18 makespossible the desired length adjustment. The pointed end 10 permits thedevice to be staked into the ground. FIG. 1 shows how the toe-equippedfoot 36 provides a support for the butt of the gun and how the barrel ofthe gun is seated and held in the hook 28.

By placing the gin butt on the rest or foot and the barrel in the hookthe device is all set and provides a highly satisfactory gun holderwhich will enable the hunter to have full use of his hands and arms andwill at the same time relieve him of the necessity of holding orcarrying a gun weighing some six to ten pounds over long periods oftime. With the gun racked on the holder it is in a ready-to-usequick-action position.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows: 7 1. A device for useby a huntercomprising an elongated stake having a pointed lower end adapted to beembedded in the ground with the stake extending ver-' tically orapproximately so, a vertically elongated sup port barrel fittedslidingly on said stake, means connecting the barrel and stake togetherso that the same may be telescopically collapsed into small compass whenthe device is not in use, means on the respective end portions of thebarrel vfor supporting a gun in a ready-topick-up and use position, saidmeans embodying a one or approximately so above ground level, acorrespondingly'over the'stake, said stalse being adapted to telescope ainto the bore of thebarrel when not being used, means 1 at the lowerendofsaid barrel for clampingly engaging piece rigid head cappedover andmounted on the upper end of the barrel, said head having a horizontalmember disposed at right angles to said barrel and projecting beyond andterminating in a rigid hook, the bill ofsaid hook being directed towardsaid barrel and providing a seat spaced from but facing the barrel andadapted for removable reception of the guns barrel, said means alsoincluding a separate bracket mounted on the lower end portion of saidsupport barrel and provided-with a hinged folding foot adapted toremovably seat, and support an end portion, of the gun butt, said footbeing generally parallel to and located beneath said right angular dis?posed hook-equipped member. i v

2. The structure defined in claim 1- an,d wherein the crotch of saidseat is vertical and is approximately in line 7 ing band constituting abracket constitnti-ng a rest for P ns o t am band, said ee hati an outerY with a plane parallel to the vertical axis of said barrel, a

the distance ofithe crotch from the axis of the barrel beingpredetermined so that when the barrel of .thegun is seated and proppedin its supported position there is nothing to hinder quick removalthereof from said seat.

3. The structure defined ,in claim 2 and wherein said foot terminates ata free outer end inan upstanding toe which may be positioned properly inrelation to the aforementioned seat so as not to interfere with thehandlingtof the butt and stock of the gun, the upper lengthwise edge ofsaid foot and toe conjointly providing a rest for the butt of the gun,and said bracket being slidingly and rotatably mounted on the supportbarrel so that'the position of the foot may be properly related .to theaforementioned hook and seat so that no hindrance I to the gun' pickupand handling step =is'present;

4. For use by a duck hunter, a gun holder and trudging staff combinedcomprising a vertically elongatedrigid stake having apointed lower endadapted to be embedded in the ground sothat the stake may extend van sn1 ingly elongated sleeve constituting a barrel and fitted slidthe stakein a manner to. allow the stalge to be. either held in the barrel-in aconcealed retracted manner or projected a desired distance beyond thelower end of "the barrel and clamped to said barrel, atrigid capremovably capped over the upper end of the barrel and provided h a s w ag he b r el a al ewins the c p to be rotated and clampedfin any desiredposition gr completely removed, said cap having an ann' radi fr m o maral s d a d tlisnq ed in ilz uz p nez a d a p i ng'at gh aasls re at e othe vertical axis of the barrel and'being gradnallytapercd toward theouter free end ofthe arm and formed into a return bend directed towardthe barrel and providing a hook-like seat'for removable reception of aportion of a barr l of ashotgun', t 'sp c am in ban s iclinslyaad c a py m nned 9. e fi -na ss barrsl etween t uppe a d c s ends of thelaflerbmst sa d slame utt of the en i st ck; idrest com risin a pohaving an inner endadjustably connected to the split and end. w ed h anim en g b t reta n n ma sinr c n fpldable gainst meant-nam s! barrel wastf- P V ii i hen n t in we e roje ted utwa y to a p ip rad at n om t earrel-when in use, the clamping band permitting the position of; the

o t b p op r y m ed in rela ion tbl the sun bar seating, k h re y t e suma be elia l and an cessibly supported in a ready-toepiclr-up and shoot

